Merchandising system and mechanism



March 10, 1931.

A. T. HACKL 1,795,365

MERCHANDISING SYSTEM AND MECHANISM Filed Jan. 29, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 1March 10, 1931. T. HACKL MERCHANDISING SYSTEM AND MECHANISM Filed Jan.29, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 mum Mmws

March 10, 1931. A. T. HAcKL MERCHANDISING SYSTEM AND MECHANISM 4Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 29, 1950 March 10, 1931. HAcKL 1,795,365

' MERCHANDISING SYSTEM AND MECHANISM Filed Jan. 29, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet4 WHIHHIIIW Patented Mar. l0,' 1931 PATENT OFFICE,

ALBERT '1. HAGKL, OF BABTOW, FLORIDA.

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Application filed January 29, 1930. Serial No. 424,407.

The present invention relates to retail merchandising systems andmechanism.

An object of the invention is to provide such a system and mechanism bywhich there is provided continuous or intermittent relative movementbetween the purchaser of goods and the goods themselves.

The present embodiment of the invention contemplates the display ofgoods to be sold in a stationary display container and mechanism formoving a purchasers conveyance, such as an automobile, continuously orintermittently past the display container.

It is a further object of the invention to provide mechanism" for thispurpose which is actuated by a portion of an automobile driven into theretail store by a customer to bring into engagement a traveling portionof the mechanism with the automobile itself to cause the automobile tobe moved past the display container under power furnished by themechanism of the present invention, thus eliminatin the running of theautomobile motor .wit its attendant objectionable exhaust gases.

. Further objects of the invention will appear from the followingdescription, taken in connection with the accom anying drawings, whichillustrate a pre erred embodiment of the invention, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the interior of a retail store constructedin accordance with the present invention and illustrating a series ofcustomers cars being carried past stationary display containers;

Fig. 2 is a top'plan view showing a stationary display container and thetraveling mechanism which engages and moves the customers cars past thedisplay container;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation through the structure ofFig. 2 and illustrating the closed-path traveled by the carengaging andmoving devices;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view partly broken away andillustrating the car-engaging device in inoperative position .togetherwith the automobile-actuated mechanism which releases the car-engagingdevice for movement to car-engaging or operative position;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional elevation on the same scale as Fig.4, illustrating in full lines the car-engaging device in inoperativeposition, and in dotted lines the automobile-engaging crosshead inoperative. or car-engaging position; V

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional elevation of the mechanism of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional elevation showing the cooperating partsof the automobile-actuated mechanism which cooperates with theautomobile-engaging and moving device and releases said device formovement to operative position;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation, partly in section,illustrating the traveling car-engaging device and its cooperatingguides as said device is completing a turn at one end of its closedpath.

Referring in detail to the drawings and particularly to Fig. 1, a retailstore is pro vided with side walls 11 and 12 and with end openings 14and 16 for the entrance and exit of customers automobiles. In thepresent instance two complete'sets of mechanism are shown, one on eachside of the store. Each set includes a guide track 17 for the wheels ofcustomers cars, which track extends adjacent to and along the length ofa series of display shelves 18 preferably running from floor to ceilingand containing the goods to be sold'. Located at the far end of eachseries of shelves is a desk which may be used as a cashiers desk or as acontrol station or both. For the purpose of controlling the starting andstopping of the automobile-moving devices, one or more switches 21 maybe provided at the station 20. Located in the tracks 17 are the wheelsof a series of automobiles 23, which convey the customers past thedisplay shelves in the directions indicated by the arrows. 4

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the series of antomobile-engaging devices 25travel in the link chain 27, which passes at one end over an idletoothed wheel 28 journaled on a shaft 29 supported at its ends bybrackets 30. At

the other end the link chain passes over a located in the basement ofthe retail store,

or in a pit below the floor.

Each automobile-engaging device 25 '(Fig. 4) includes a carriage 40provided with wheels 41 on each side thereof, which wheels run in thespaced-apart tracks 26. Extending transversely of the carriage 40 is acrosshead 42, which, at the central portion thereof, on the forwardside, is provided with a beveled guide flange 43. On the rearward side,centrally thereof, is located a removable guide flange 45. The crosshead42 and its two flangesare adapted to engage the front axle of anautomobile, as illustrated in Fig. 5, upon vertically upward movement ofthe crosshead 42 in the manner hereinafter described, so that the axleis located between the two flanges. The crosshead 42 is removablysecured by set screws 49 or otherwise at each end thereof to a verticalguide rod 50. Each guide rod is vertically slidable through a guideopening provided in the carriage 40. In connection with these guideopenings (Fig. 6) there may be provided friction washers 53 forfrictional engagement with the rods 50 to insure smooth and regularvertical movement of said rods.

The invention provides spring means for urging the rods 50 in a verticaldirection and also provides means for holding the crosshead 42 in itslower or inoperative position until an automobile arrives to be moved bythe conveyor past the display device 18. The invention also includesmeans operable by the mere presence of the automobile for releasing thecrosshead 42 so that it moves vertically under the influence of thespring means above referred to and engages the iront axle of theautomobile, as shown in In the present embodiment of the invention,these spring means comprise coil springs 55, each of which encircles oneof the rods 50 and bears at its lower end against a thrust plate 56secured to or formed on the lower end of an arm 57 depending from theunder side of the carriage 40. Each spring 55 is under compression andbears at its upper end against a thrust collar 59 fast on rod 50.-

The result of this construction is that through rods 50 the crosshead 42is constantly urged in avertically upward direction.

Means are provided by the invention for maintaining the crosshead 42 inthe lowered position of Figs. 4 and 6 until the arrival of a customersautomobile which is to be moved by the conveyor. In the presentembodiment of the invention, this means includes a detent or latchr60(see Figs. 4 and 5) whose beveled forward end engages a shoulder formedat the lower edge of the removable guide flange 45 and is urged intothis engaging position by a coil compression spring 62, which bears atone end against the latch 60 urging it to the left, as viewed in Fig. 5,and at its other end bears against the top 63 of a stationary latchhousing 64 fixed on or carried by the carriage 40. The latch 60 extendsbeyond each end of the housing 64, in which it is guided forreciprocating movement by guide slots formed in the forward and rearends of the latch housing. At its rear end the latch 60 is formed with ashoulder 65, which is adapted, by engaging the rear end of the latchhousing, to limit the forward movement of the latch under the influenceof its coil spring 62.

' Means are provided for moving the latch 60 rearwardly out ofengagement with the guide flange 45, thus permitting the crosshead 42 tomove vertically upwardly under the influence of springs 55 intoengagement with the front axle of an automobile, as indicated in dottedlines in Fig. 5. In the present instance this means includes a lever 68pivoted on the top of carriage 40 for oscillating movement in ahorizontal plane. One end of the lever 68 engages the rear end of latch60,

and the other end of lever68 is pivotally connected to one end of a link70, whose other end is pivotally attached to a releasing lever 72. Thelever 72 is pivoted to the side of carriage 40, as shown in Fig.- 4, andextends downwardly of the carriage. The lower end of this lever isadapted to be engaged, upon horizontal movement of the carriage, by atripping device hereinafter described,-which effects the release of thecrosshead 42, permitting its upward movement The invention providesautomobile-actuated means for causing the tripping or release of thecrosshead 42, and, as shown particularly in Figs. 4 and 7 this meansincludes a vertically movable tire-engaged plate 75, which lies in thebottom of track 17 and is adapted to be depressed by the weight of thefront wheel of an automobile passing along the track 17 and upon theplate 75, as illustrated in Fig. 7. The plate 75 is secured to the upperend of a rod 76 which reciprocates vertically in a sleeve 77 secured toa standard 78 mounted on the basement floor and which may extendupwardly to form a support for the carriage track 26. Secured to thestandard 78 is a bracket 79, which supports a pin 81, upon which ismounted an abutment carrying lever 83. The lever 83 is provided with aforkedend 84 for engagement with a pin 86 projecting horizontally fromthe rod 76 and fixed to said rod. A'coil spring 89' encircles the rod 76and bears against the lever 83 at its upper end and against the top ofsleeve 77 at its lower end, thus urging *the rod 76, and consequentlyplate 75, to" upper position, from which it is depressed against theaction of spring 89 when the front wheel of an automobile moving alongtrack 17 rides upon the'plate 75.

The other end of lever 83 carries an abutment member for enga ement withthe lower end of tripping lever 2, and in the present instance thisabutment member isshown as consisting of an abutment lug 90 secured to arod 91, which may be threaded into the free end of lever 83, as shown inFig. 4. The rod 91 is provided with one or more lock nuts 92. Theconstruction described permits the longitudinal and angular adjustmentand setting of'the abutment member with respect to lever 83 so that itmay be set to actuate the tripping lever 72 and release the crosshead 42at the exact moment necessary for the crosshead to engage the frontaxle. A

further adjustment is provided in connection with the lower end of lever72, and, as shown in the present instance, the lever 72 isprovided atits lower end with a rightangular extension 96, which is provided with athreaded opening for the reception of an externally screw-threadedstrike 97, the lower end of which, in the course of the horizontaltravel of the carriage 40, is adapted to strike the abutment 90 whenthis abutment is in its upper or operative position due to the de-'pression of the wheel-engaging plate 75. Ob-

viously, if there is no automobile present, to

depress theplate 75' the lower end of strike 97 will pass over and clearof the abutment a 90, whereas if an automobile is present, to depressthe plate 75 the abutment 90 will be raised to lie in the horizontalpath of-the lower end of strike 97, with the result that, with respectto the moving carriage 40, the strike 97 will be moved about its pivotonthe carriage to cause the operation of the latch and the release ofthe crosshead for upward axle-engaging movement, as already de scribed.

The wheel-engaging plate 7 5' is preferably so proportioned and locatedin its track slot 98 that an automobile wheel in depressing.

the plate will have a three-point contact, that is to say, it willcontact at one point .with the plate 75 and it will also contact withboth the forward and rear ends of the plate slot 98.

The crosshead 42, when it reaches the end of its upper path of travel,will be carried downwardly with the descending carriage 40 as it passesaround the curved portion of the carriage track 26, where the link chain27, in the present embodiment, passes over the toothed wheel 28. As thecarriage 40 starts around the curved and downwardly extending portion ofits path, the crosshead 42 moves downwardly with the carriage and so outof engagement with the automobile axle, but; without movement withrespect to the carriage itself. At this point the-invention providesmeans for moving the crosshead point where the crosshead 42 isapproaching the cam track 99 for contact therewith, the cam 99 isfarthest from the track and is sufliciently removed from the path of thecarriagethat it lies beyond the crosshead. As the crosshead moves in itsdownwardly curved path, it comes into engagement'with the cam 99, and atthe points where the crosshead engages the cam, it may be provided withwe-ar-resistinginserts 100 (see Figs. 4, 7 and 8). The cam track 99forces the cross v head 42 closer and closer to the carriage 40 andlatch 60 until, in the position of parts; shown in Fig. 8, the crosshead42 is forced against the action of springs 55 far enough to be engagedby the latch 60 and held in its inner or inoperative position. Thecrosshead remains in this position until the carriage 40 reachesthe'upper run of its path and the crosshead 42 is released for movementto its extended position by the pressure of an automobile wheel on theplate 75, as already described.

The invention contemplates that the. automobiles carrying customers pastthe goods the cashiers desk the goods may be paid for I andchange'may'be made, and the control 21 at the cashiers desk permits thecashier to stop the conveyor for these purposes and to start it againthereafter. The customers car now rides free ofthe axle-engagingcrosshead, its engine is started by the customer,

and the automobile departs under its own ower. a p It is'preferred'thatthe goods on the display shelves be arranged so that each verticalcolumn, as viewed in Fig. 3, contains the same kind of goods, sothat inthe progress of the customer past the shelves the same goods are notdisplayed twice.

It will be seen that the present invention eliminates the undesirablepresence of exhaust fumes within the store, and consequent- 1yeliminates all necessity for elaborate ventilating systems. Furthermore,the progress of the customer is under control, and the noise of a numberof running automobile enginm is eliminated with its attendant confusionand the annoying. necessity for clerks and customers to raise theirvoices. It will also be observed that the automobile alone causes itsown engagement with the conveyor mechanism and that at the end of itspath the car automatically rides free of such engagement.

It is also to be observed that the automobileconveying mechanism itselfwill have a number of useful commercial applications apart from thesystem herein described and that various changes in the specificembodimentstation, and mechanism operated by a customers automobile forcausing said conveyor to engage said automobile and move it past saiddisplay device.

Automobile conveying mechanism including automobile-engaging devicesmovable into and out of automobile-engaging position, mechanism formoving said devices along a predetermined path, and means actuated bythe presence of an automobile at a predetermined oint to causeengagement of one of said evices with said automobile upon the arrivalof said device at said point.

3. Automobile conveying mechanism including automobile-engaging devicesmovable into and out of automobile-engaging position, mechanism formoving said devices along a predetermined path, and means including adepressible floor plate actuated by the pressure thereon of anautomobile wheel to cause engagement of one of said devices with saidautomobile.

4. Automobile conveying mechanism including automobile axle engagingdevices movable into and out of axle-engaging position, mechanism formoving said devices along a predetermined path, and means actuated bythe presence of an automobile at a predetermined point to causeone ofsaid devices on arrival at that point to move into axle-engagingposition.

5. Automobile conveying mechanism including an endless conveyor,automobileengaging devices carried by said conveyor and movable withrespect thereto into and out of automobile-engaging position, "springsnormally urging said devices into engaging leasing the latch of the nextapproaching engaging device, said springs thereupon moving said deviceinto automobile-engaging position.

6. Automobile conveying mechanism including an endless conveyor, aseries of spaced carriages attached to said conveyor, each carriagecarrying an automobile-engaging device, means on the carriage forguiding said device in vertical movement into and out of operativeautomobile-engaging position, springs cooperating with said guides andurging said device 1nto operative position, latch means associated withsaid device for holdin said device in inoperative positionagainst t eurging of said springs, and an automobile-o erated latch tripper at apredetermined point along'the conveyor path for releasing the latch ofthe engaging device of the next approaching carriage, said springsthereupon moving said device into automobile-engaging position.

7. Automobile conveying mechanism including an endless conveyor,automobile-engaging devices carried by said conveyor and movable withres ect thereto into and out of automobile-engaging position, springsurging said devices into engaging osition, latch means associated 'witheach 0? said devices for holding said devices out of engaging pos'sition in the absence of an automobile to be conveyed, a trippin elementat a predetermined point along t epath of the conveyor and operated b anautomobile to be conveyed for releasing t e latch means of the nextapproaching engaging device, said springs thereupon gnoving said deviceintoautomobile-engaging posltion, and cam means at another point alongthe path of the conveyor for forcing said engagm device out of engagingposition and intolatch holding position.

8. Automobile conveying mechanism including an endless conveyor,automobile axle engaging devices carried thereby and including elementsmovable into and out of operative position at the bottom and the frontand rear sides of the axle of an automobile, springs urging said devicesinto operative engaging position, latch means associated with each ofsaid devices for holding said devices out of operative position, and anautomobile-operated trippin element at a predetermined point along t epath of said conveyor for releasing the latch of the next approachingengaging device, said springs thereupon moving said device intoaxle-engaging position.

' 9. Automobile conveying mechanism ineluding a conveyorautomobile-engaging devices carried thereby and movable into and out ofautomobile-engaging position, springs normally urging said devices intoengagin position, latch means associated with eac of said devices forholding said devices out of engaging position, means for guiding thewheels of an automobile into predetermined relation to said conveyor,means including a depressible member lying in the path of an automobilewheel for releasing the latch of the next approaching engaging device,said springs thereupon moving said device into automobile-engagingposition, and spring means cooperating with said depressib le memberurging it normally into position to be depressed by an automobile wheelpassing over it. a

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ALBERT T. HACKL.

